Yellowstone Lake - A Two Week Paddle Trip - July 28, 2019

Interesting trip and great bonding time with Katie. From experience- as they grow up and move ahead with their lives, these times become much more precious and rare. Also, based on my own experience as an occasional paddler who has done multi-day canoe trips on a few larger lakes, as well as numerous sea kayak trips on the ocean, did you consider using a sea kayak? The next time we do a multi-day lake paddle- it will likely be in a (rented) double sea kayak, despite owning a decent canoe. As with everything there are plusses and minuses to that, but on flatwater, the sea kayak has an overwhelming advantage over an open canoe in winds and waves, and is faster and easier to paddle in calm water as well. Less cargo capacity though and more of a pain to load and unload especially if you are moving camp often.
 
I thought about buying a kayak about 15 years ago, but decided against it only because I knew I probably wouldn't use my canoes anymore. They sure do well when the lake turns rough.
 
Just finished reading your TR. Loved it but it made my arms tired! My wife and I have been looking at doing a similar trip but can't ever seem to get our act together to apply for the permit. Cool that you heard wolves. +
 
Wow, what an amazing adventure. Thanks for the detailed report, it was fun to follow along. That gizzly sighting is something you guys will always remember.
 
Imma make sure to do Scat Yoga from now on haha.
Great share! Love the photos of you two laying down in your tent. Precious!
 
Scatman, loved this trip report! Thanks for posting! Have been meaning to say something but it has aluded me. Now what a trip and what a fabulous close Grizzly Bear experience. Wow! They don't come closer then that. So happy for you and your daughter and what you both saw and experienced. Personally I have had a multitude of trips here in the Southeast Part of the park but I have never never done what you have done here with canoeing around the Yellowstone Lake shoreline. Guess will have to do this something. Again Thanks for this trip report and for all of these fabulous photos.
 
Kmatjhwy said:
Scatman, loved this trip report! Thanks for posting! Have been meaning to say something but it has aluded me. Now what a trip and what a fabulous close Grizzly Bear experience. Wow! They don't come closer then that. So happy for you and your daughter and what you both saw and experienced. Personally I have had a multitude of trips here in the Southeast Part of the park but I have never never done what you have done here with canoeing around the Yellowstone Lake shoreline. Guess will have to do this something. Again Thanks for this trip report and for all of these fabulous photos.
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Thanks @Kmatjhwy. The Grizzly Bear experience was special, something my daughter will remember for the rest of her life. I still find it odd that the bear did not take any notice of us as it passed by us, especially when it was so close. . Have you ever had a similar experience?

Our Langford Cairn day hike was a direct result of your advice to me back in 2013 on a different trip down into the Thorofare. I'm not sure why I didn't hike it back in 2013, but I always remembered you telling me what a fantastic view it was from the top, and you were right. The views across the south end of Yellowstone Lake, The Yellowstone River Delta, and south into the Thorofare, along with the views up Beaverdam Creek were tremendous.
 
Scatman, Now as pertaining to your question, Yes I have had an experience like that but not not often. Onetime it was up on top of the Two Ocean Plateau. But most of my close encounters with grizzly bears and that close, they noticed me and I noticed them. It seems to me as if the bears desire as much as we do, to not have a close encounter with us Human Two Leggeds as we desire not to have a close encounter with them. And during some of my close encounters with the Grizzlies and we indeed looked at each other, the things that I sensed were incredible. And when it happened, everytime they went their way immediately afterwards. Now what an experience you and your daughter had - Incredible! Now do wonder if the bear if the bear really knew you were there but did not want to act like it or did not really know you were there. Still, such an incredible experience and thanks for sharing. My hat off yo you Scatman!

Also again how much have I loved your trip report. What an experience. Some of those campsites I have camped at before like 6A2 and 6A3. I loved 6A3.

Wishing You the Best!
 
What a wonderful trip report. I’m glad you named the flowers, now I know the names of some of the flowers I’ve been seeing. Thank you for sharing this. Pringles
 
Excellent TR Scatman. It must have been tempting to stray away from the beach and cut some corners during the glassy days. The Signal Point cliffs sounded very hairy. I recognize the gravity of the situation you were in since you were the trip leader with a family member on board. That lake is so unforgiving, no room for immersion mistakes. Well done and thanks for the effort with all of the maps, making it easy for anyone to plan their own trips off of your information.
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Tim Valentine said:
Excellent TR Scatman. It must have been tempting to stray away from the beach and cut some corners during the glassy days. The Signal Point cliffs sounded very hairy. I recognize the gravity of the situation you were in since you were the trip leader with a family member on board. That lake is so unforgiving, no room for immersion mistakes. Well done and thanks for the effort with all of the maps, making it easy for anyone to plan their own trips off of your information.
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Thanks Tim. On some of the smaller bays, if the water was calm on the lake, we did cut some corners, but still remained not too far from shore.
 
Scat........WOW...
what a wonderful trip y’all experienced. Thanks for th report, especially during what we’re all goin’ thru currently, as it allowed me to escape central Texas and be in Yellowstone for a bit. Stay safe and I look forward to more of your adventures!

John
 
The Trout Whisperer said:
Scat........WOW...
what a wonderful trip y’all experienced. Thanks for th report, especially during what we’re all goin’ thru currently, as it allowed me to escape central Texas and be in Yellowstone for a bit. Stay safe and I look forward to more of your adventures!
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Thanks for the kind words @The Trout Whisperer, and I'm glad you enjoyed the report. Stay safe in Texas too, and hopefully you'll get a chance to do some backcountry exploration of your own in Yellowstone when everything is back up and running again.
 
Hey everybody, remember that can of PAKO'S IPA that my daughter found floating in Yellowstone Lake on our second to last day of our canoe trip? No, you say. Well, let me refresh your memories. Just before we were about to head out for our last campsite, Katie found an unopened can of PAKO'S IPA floating in the lake. I told her to grab it, and I would drink it when we got to the end of our trip at Sedge Bay. But of course, me being me, I forgot to. And then I was supposed to drink on our Mary Mountain hike the day after we finished, but once again, I forgot. :( Anybody starting to recognize a trend here? :thinking: So the poor can ended up going home with us and put onto the bottom shelf of our refrigerator. Over time, it had slowly worked its way to the back of the bottom shelf, being pushed there by much better tasting beers such as Terminator Stouts, Founders Porters, etc.. Well Katie asked me about a month ago, "When was I going to drink the IPA?" I told her to put a message in her phone for the one year anniversary of when we shoved off from West Thumb on our trip last year, and I would drink it then. I think @Rockskipper was supposed to remind me, but I'm sure she has much more important things to remember, like making a little straw hat for Dooley. :) Well guess what today is? That's right, it's IPA Day! So even though I wish it were a better tasting beer, please everybody help me enjoy a PAKO'S. :)

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One year in the fridge and untold amount of time floating on Yellowstone Lake

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Not the best pour - had to show off the Big Sky Brewing Co. pint glass

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Cheers everybody and happy hiking!

Well, it tasted like a PAKO'S. Not too bad I guess for how old it was and being an IPA you know. It helped bring back all the sights and smells of our trip for a short period of time. I wish that I was back on the lake now.
 
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